The friendship of three Texas ranchers whose ranch is destroyed by Cottrell, of the Union army, and his band of outlaw raiders. The working title was "Distant Drums", and south of St. Louis ... Read allThe friendship of three Texas ranchers whose ranch is destroyed by Cottrell, of the Union army, and his band of outlaw raiders. The working title was "Distant Drums", and south of St. Louis was a term used to describe Civil War deserters.The friendship of three Texas ranchers whose ranch is destroyed by Cottrell, of the Union army, and his band of outlaw raiders. The working title was "Distant Drums", and south of St. Louis was a term used to describe Civil War deserters.
- Mexican Townsman
- (uncredited)
- Townsman
- (uncredited)
- Barfly
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe character "Luke Cottrell" is described as the leader of a band of guerrilla raiders working for the Union army that ravaged the Missouri countryside during the Civil War, robbing and murdering Southern sympathizers. The character is obviously based on the real-life William Quantrill, who was in fact the leader of a band of Confederate guerrillas that terrorized the Missouri and Kansas countryside during the Civil War. His raiders were responsible for the sacking and burning of Lawrence, KS, on Aug. 21, 1863, during which more than 150 men and boys in the town were rounded up and executed. It became known as The Lawrence Massacre. Eventually Quantrill's methods were so brutal--wholesale executions of prisoners, burning and looting towns and villages, etc.--that the Confederacy disowned him and withdrew all support. He was shot in an ambush by Union troops on May 10, 1865, and died in a Union military prison on June 6.
- GoofsA revolver commonly seen in the film is the famous Colt Single Action Army Revolver. This design did not appear until 1873, much too late for use in the American Civil War.
- Quotes
[after Rouge spurns Charlie's advances in favor of his honest brother Kip]
Charlie Burns: But he doesn't even have a shirt to his name!
Rouge de Lisle: It's not the clothes that make the man, it's how he wears 'em.
- ConnectionsReferenced in Quicksand (1950)
- SoundtracksToo Much Love
Music by Ray Heindorf
Lyrics by Ralph Blane
Performed by Alexis Smith (dubbed by Bonnie Lou Williams) (uncredited)
Joel McCrea, Zachary Scott, Bob Steele, Dorthy Malone, Alexis Smith are in the Expensive Cast-List.
Max Steiner is the Composer.
The Movie was Shot in Technicolor.
What's Unimpressive about the Movie is the that it Fails to Deliver much in Entertainment Value.
Relying on Dull Dialog, Routine Characters in a Recycled Plot about Long-Time Friends Finding it Difficult to Remain Loyal.
The Civil-War and its Ramifications on, well, Everything and Everybody finds the "Three Amigos' Burned-Out of Their Ranch by Ruthless "Yankee" Scumbags.
The Ranch was Named "The Three Bells".
And as a Symbol They All Wear "Tinkling" Little Bells on Their Spurs.
Pay Attention Now because this is a "Key" Thread Running throughout the Movie.
A Silly and Goofy Tie-In to the Disenfranchising of a Once-Bonded Team,
By 1949 Hollywood had Perfected its Craft of Assembly-Line Art with a Studio-System.
Peeking in 1939 and 10 Years Later, the Formulaic Nature did the Art of Motion Pictures No Favors.
1949 was the Beginning of the End of Such Robotic Capitalization.
Because the Inherent Influence of Money in the Production caused a "Play it Safe at All Costs".
The Industrialized Stifling of Otherwise Talented Artists that were Under Strict, Binding Contracts by the Studios.
This Movie is a Good Example of Coasting.
Uninspired By-the-Numbers "Product" to be Sold to the Masses with Guaranteed Return on the Investment.
Problem is...It would Not be Guaranteed Forever.
10 Years Later the Studio-System would Begin to Collapse Under its Own Weight.
- LeonLouisRicci
- Aug 19, 2021
- How long is South of St. Louis?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Distant Drums
- Filming locations
- Warner Ranch, Calabasas, California, USA(open road/range scenes)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $1,600,000
- Runtime1 hour 28 minutes
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1